3 Best places to eat in São Luís, Maranhão (By Locals)

I lived in São Luís, Maranhão for 6 years and now I returned to visit old friends and was excited to learn that many of my favorite gastronomical gems are still open and tasty!

Join me and my local friends in visiting some of the best places to eat in São Luís.

TL;DR? Here are the best places to eat in São Luís (and a dish you must try)
✅ Cabana do Sol: try their signature dish “Carne de Sol”
✅ Thai: try their signature dish “Filé Oswaldo Aranha”
✅ Vignoli: try their signature dish “Pizzza de Carne de Sol”

1. Carne de sol at Cabana do Sol

Cabana do Sol is considered the best restaurant in São Luís and a must-visit for anyone trying to get an authentic experience.

When living in town, I used to go to Cabana do Sol on weekends with my middle school friends, and my parents would have business meals there.

Restaurant Location

View of the front of Cabana do Sol restaurant, which is considered by many the best place to eat in Sao Luis. The second floor of the building has floor to ceiling class windows and we can see many people sitting inside. The roof of the structure has a very rustic vibe and seems to be made out of straw. — Exterior do restaurante Cabana do Sol na Avenida Litoranea

Interior of the Cabana do Sol restaurant, where the structure is made of wooden trusses put together. Roofing is very rustic and comletely made of straw. Many people are sitting inside the restaurant, which seems to be completely full. — Exterior do restaurante Cabana do Sol na Avenida Litoranea

Cabana do Sol has two locations in São Luís:

Farol de São Marcos: an older and more traditional location, some might say that the food there is better!
Avenida Litorania: a beautiful restaurant featuring an amazing ocean view

No matter which location you choose, you’re sure to find tasty Carne do Sol on the menu. To be honest, I’ve never found a carne de sol that comes close in softness and juiciness to what is served at Cabana do Sol.

Click to learn more about Cabana do Sol’s signature dish: Carne de Sol

Carne de sol served with various side dishes

Carne de Sol (literally meaning “Sun Meat”) is a food-conservation technique from the Brazilian Northeast where meat is salted and put to dry in a well-ventilated and shaded space. It can be thought of as a Brazilian version beef jerky, differing from the common jerky because no chemical substances (ex: nitrate) are added to the meat.

At Cabana do Sol, one of their most famous dishes is a giant piece of Carne de Sol, so large that it is casually referred to as “elephant’s ear” by locals. At the price tag R$223 for the half portion, the dish serves 2 to 4 people and comes with a full banquet of Brazilian sides worth trying: baião de dois, white rice, beans, okra, pumpkin, paçoca, yuca, fried bananas, “bottle butter”, and rapadura.

Around São Luís, you can see Carne de Sol being used in many different ways: topping for pizzas (especially amazing in the thin pizzas at Vignoli), filling for tapioca, steak-like (the way it is served at Cabana do Sol), mixed in a Brazilian Farofa, as the main ingredient for an escondidinho… the options are endless!

2. Filé à Oswaldo Aranha at Thai

Don’t be fooled thinking that you won’t find authentic Brazilian food at a restaurant named “Thai“!

Restaurant Location

Back when I lived in São Luís over 10 years ago, Thai used to be in a standalone building that had an amazing vibe. More recently, they moved to Golden Shopping Calhau.

Though being inside a shopping mall negatively affected the vibe, I can guarantee that they still serve the best Oswaldo Aranha in Brazil!

Click to learn more about Thai’s signature dish: Filé á Oswaldo Aranha

Filé à Oswaldo Aranha is a dish named after a famous Brazilian diplomat, who would order this dish for lunch at traditional restaurants in Rio in the decades of 1930-1940.

The dish consists of steak (typically fillet mignon) topped and seasoned with fried garlic served with white rice, fried manioc powder, and potato chips. This is my favorite dish, and although I’ve ordered it in many different cities and states around Brazil, Thai’s take on the dish remains the best I’ve tasted!

3. Carne de Sol pizza at Vignoli

Thin crust calabresa and carne de sol pizzas at Vignoli in São Luís

It’s not a waste to eat “Italian” food in Brazil, especially because Brazilian pizza often comes with unique toppings not found elsewhere.

At Vignoli, the toppings aren’t the only special thing; their pizza is so thin and crunchy that they even provide gloves to customers for them to eat with their hands.

In Brazil, it’s uncommon to eat pizza with your hands—local etiquette usually dictates using a fork and knife. Vignoli’s super thin pizza is the only situation where I’ve seen Brazilians bend this rule!

Restaurant Location: Vignoli

Vignoli has two locations in São Luís:

Ponta do Farol, where you’ll find both indoor and outdoor seating.
Avenida Litoranea, a brand new and stunning building built exclusively for Vignoli!

Click to learn more about Vignoli’s signature dish: Thin-crust-pizza

Eating a thin crust carne de sol pizza using gloves

We’ve talked about Carne de Sol, a gastronomical gem from the northern territories of Brazil. Although beef jerky pizza might not sound good to you, I promise that carne de sol is the ultimate pizza topping! The pizza crust is so thin that one whole pizza might not be enough to feed just one person. On the bright side, this opens up an opportunity to try out multiple flavors!